The Once Great Broker Of Peace
by Chancellor Of Niphelhiem
Summary: He saved her from her darkness now it's up to her to return the favor. But can she pay the price?
1. Tip Towing

t was late in the afternoon at Beacon and one could hear the school's students inside their dorms spending time together. If you were close enough to one of the door's you could hear people talking and laughing together, as the different teams were enjoying their time together. This was very normal for the students of Beacon Academy.

However, this wasn't the case when it came to team RWBY. While most of the team's members were having fun together, this didn't include a certain redheaded team leader, who was alone in her team's dorm, crying. This had unfortunately become quite common for Ruby Rose, the leader of team RWBY.

When it came to Ruby, she had never had any real friends in her entire life. The closest thing to a real friend came from her older sister, Yang Xiao Long, and that was it. While she did have a certain person at one point in time, he was sent packing by her father and Yang. People that she was on friendly terms with, the scythe-wielder had never been an actual friend. No one ever really talked with her or invited her into any activities. Thanks to Ruby's shy personality and weird interests, such as her obsession with weapons, the young team leader was someone that other kids her age often avoided and gave weird looks. In fact, Ruby had been so unpopular that she became the perfect target for bullies. Had it not been for Yang to protect her, the redhead doesn't know what would have happened to her in the end.

Once Ruby had entered Beacon, she thought that things would change for her. While at first she had been skeptical about the idea of her making actual friends, those thoughts soon changed after team RWBY had been formed. Even if she did have a bit of a bad start with Weiss, the new team leader believed that she could finally get something that others had, real friends. And at first, it really seemed to be going like that. Not only had Ruby become friends with her teammates, Weiss and Blake, but she had made some other friends as well. These included team JNPR's members, Velvet and her team, along with Sun and Neptune. It seemed like she had finally made friends with other people.

Unfortunately for the young sniper, her hope of making friends was eventually crushed.

Some time ago, Ruby's teammates stopped spending time with her, deciding to go hang out with each other instead. At first, the redhead didn't mind it all that much. She was mature enough to understand that her teammates didn't want to spend all their time with her, and that her young age prevented her from taking part in activities the older girl liked to take part in from time to time. However, when Ruby started to only spend time with her teammates during classes and schoolwork, it became a problem. The young team leader felt completely alienated by her teammates, like she didn't belong with them at all. It actually got so bad that Ruby wondered when was the last time she even had a proper conversation with one of the older girls.

While the three older girls of the team listened to their leaders orders during assignments and combat practice, Ruby couldn't help but feel that they didn't really respect her as their leader. It felt more like the three girls were doing all of it out of obligation and not because they truly appreciated their youngest members work. In all honesty, Ruby wasn't sure if she could really consider herself even part of team RWBY anymore.

Upon being practically abandoned by her teammates, Ruby soon found out that she didn't even really have any actual friends even outside her team. Even if Velvet and her team were nice to her, she very rarely spoke to them, as they were often busy with their own work. Sun and Neptune were even less of friends to her, as they only ever seemed to bother interacting with her when Blake or Weiss were around. The lonely team leader wasn't of any interest to them at all. The only people Ruby could consider her real friends were the members of team JNPR, but even they didn't really spend any time with her. The other team was often spending time with the sniper's teammates on activities she wasn't invited into. There was also the fact that Ruby couldn't really bring herself to bother the members of JNPR too much, as she didn't want to become a nuisance to them. She was sure that they liked to spend time among their members as well, which was something she was certainly not welcome to join.

Every time Ruby would try to bring up these worries of her to her teammates, she would get completely ignored. The older girls would just tell her ''not to worry about such things'' and that they would talk later. The only problem was that later never came. The redhead might have as well been invisible to them.

Day after day, Ruby would spend practically no time with her teammates. No matter how many times she suggested activities they could all take part in as a team, her suggestions would get rejected and put on ''maybe later.'' The scythe-wielder had lost count of how many lonely nights she had spent all alone in her team's dorm, wondering if things would ever change for the better.

However, it was not too long ago that Ruby had finally learned what her teammates truly thought about her. One day, she had been walking down the halls of the school, when she suddenly heard her teammates talking among each other. The redhead decided to hide nearby and listen to the conversation, hoping to learn something about why the older girls seemed to want to avoid her. She even took out her Scroll to record the whole thing just in case.

''_Hey, do you guys want to go to this new club that was opened recently?''_ Yang asked her two teammates with excitement in her voice. _''I heard that they've got the best drinks there! Not to mention, a pretty famous DJ will be performing there!''_

_''Sounds fun. Count me in,''_ Blake replied with a smile.

_''Same here. Just don't let Ruby know about this. The last thing I need is to hear her childish whining again,''_ Weiss said in an irritated voice. _''Ugh... Do you guys remember what she actually suggested for us to do last time? She wanted us to play video games and board games with her! What kind of a way is that to spend the night, when the whole city is out there with all sorts of possibilities?''_

'_'You think that's bad? Try growing up with her,''_ the blonde girl said with irritation in her voice as well. _''I can remember how she tried to drag me with her to all sorts of dumb things. Honestly, she can be such a brat sometimes.''_

_''I will never understand how you manage to keep calm around her,''_ the raven-haired girl said with sympathy towards her partner. '_'I haven't known her all that long, but even now I can tell that she is someone who will annoy you to no end.''_

_''Hey, at least you're not her partner. Unlike you two, I have to be practically glued to her in our assignments for school,''_ the white-haired girl complained._ ''Sometimes I wonder what Professor Ozpin was thinking, when he decided to accept Ruby here early.''_

'_'Tell me about it. I mean, she is skilled and all, but she shouldn't have come here early,''_ Yang said. _''I might care about her a lot, but Ruby is honestly a big brat most of the time. She should have been left to grow up a bit before accepting her here. And to think that she was actually chosen as our team leader.''_

'_'Yeah, it's too big of a responsibility for her.''_

_''Someone else should have been made the leader_.''

_''Can't do anything about it now. I guess we just have to wait until the professors see just how unfit she is for the role.''_

The three girl then walked away, never noticing the young team leader crying behind the corner nearby.

It had been about two days since Ruby heard her teammates badmouth her. During that time, she had actually listened to her recording a couple of times, just to make absolutely sure that she had heard them right. And every time she did this, she would end up in tears.

Having heard such words come from her teammates' mouths, the redhead now knew that she truly had no friends. No matter what she did, it would always end up like this with her all alone.

Having cried for long enough, Ruby got off her bed and went to the bathroom. She walked up to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror, seeing just how horrible she really looked. Her hair was a complete mess and her eyes were bloodshot from crying. The young team leader also had bags under her eyes along with tear stains. She had even lost a good amount of weight, as her sadness over her situation had taken away any appetite she could have.

''Is this it?'' Ruby asked herself while staring into the mirror. ''Is this all my life has in store for me? To be hated, despised and alone?''

The scythe-wielder leaned over the sink and gripped it with both hands. She thought back to the days she had been younger. How she would tell everyone with a big smile on her face how she was going to become the best Huntress in the whole world. Eventually, her thoughts brought her to her mother, whom she had made this promise especially.

Ruby suddenly punched the wall with all her might, causing her fist to bleed. Her eyes were now completely different from before. When earlier they were filled with nothing but sadness and grief, they now held a fire of determination behind them. Never before had the redhead had this look in her eyes before.

''If I am to be alone, then so be it! Who needs friends, when all they do is stab you in the back!?'' Ruby declared to herself. ''From now on, I shall fully devote myself to my studies and work to becoming a Huntress! I shall show my teammates and everyone else, just how wrong they are about me! I will become the best Huntress of this school!''

With her mind set, the young team leader went to grab her textbook, fully intent on immersing herself into her studies. Unfortunately, she forgot about her bleeding hand and let out a pained yelp upon trying to grab the book.

Just then upon reaching down for the hook Ruby was surprised to see a figure sitting on her open window. She instinctively reached for Crescant Rose before realizing it was still in her locker. She was about to activate her semblance and attack her uninvited guest but stopped when she heard that mischievous voice once again.

"My, my, Ruby Rose? How the time's have changed..."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX****Annd done!**

**Please tell me if you're interested in seeing more. I really hope you guys will enjoy this.**

**Until next time.**

RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth.


	2. A Helping Hand

"My, my, Ruby Rose? How the time's have changed..." said a mysterious figure as it stood proudly on her widow seal. It wasn't that tall, hell it was shorter than Ruby.

Ruby just continued staring, flabbergasted at the figure. She had believed this person to be gone from her life, hell she almost expected him to be dead. But nonetheless he was here, right now. In here room, looking at her, watching her. Did he see her? Had long had he been there?

_"No! no! Not him anyone but him! I did all that in front of him!?"_ Ruby shouted to herself mentally, as she quickly became red in the face. She was so embarrassed! Hell! Her knees were even beginning to buckle!

"A-ardyn? Adryn Caem?" Ruby asked as her voice squeaked. She prayed that it wasn't him. She couldn't be acting like this in front of him! First she had the betrayal of her teammates and now she was seen acting like an idiot in front of him!

"Izunia." the young man, now known as Ardyn, said as he dawned a hat. He held no nervousness in his voice. All he held was that tone, that mischievous tone. As if he had caught in a trap that he put together.

That one word was enough to snap Ruby out of her stupor. Her knees stopped buckling and her lips began to quiver. Steeling herself, Ruby ran and tackled the young man out the window, semblance activated. The rose petals that were generated by Ruby's semblance surrounded the two as they began to fall.

"Ardyn!" cried Ruby as the happiness on her heart was just too much to deal with at the moment. Given the circumstances who wouldn't cry?

As the two began to fall towards the ground Ardyn began producing his own rose petals, only his were charcoal black. With merely a couple of seconds before they collided with the ground, the young man's semblance had taken effect and just like Ruby had done the two were rushed to the top of the dorms, on the roof. As the two landed on their feet Ruby released the man, surprised at his abilities.

"A-ardyn! Y-you copied my semblance!" shouted Ruby as she puffed her cheeks, obviously upset at this revelation. She knew that Ardyn's semblance allowed him to copy other's abilities but he said he didn't do it to hers before he left.

"At ease little petal! I only copied it a few moments ago." said Ardyn as he put up his hands up in defense. Now that there was moonlight to illuminate him Ruby could see what her friend now looked like. Adryn had gotten a little taller than before reaching a staggering 5'3. Even with such a small height Adryn still possessed a slim and somehow lanky body. Ardyn had a baby-face with red-violet hair, amber eyes, and strong facial features. He was dressed in a black pinstripe trousers with a suit vest to compliment. Plus an absurd hat and scarf to top it off.

"Little Petal, why do these tears fall so freely?" questioned Ardyn as he wiped away Ruby's tears with a handkerchief that he had ticked away in his vest. Ardyn's usual demanor made him seem untrustworthy but Ruby always saw the best in him.

As children, Ardyn would always help Ruby with anything that she needed so when he left, Ruby felt lost and abandoned. But as she got older and made a few new friends Ruby was able to coup with her feelings, a.k.a push them down.

"Uh, n-no reason! Wh-what are you doong here?!" shouted Ruby as she backed away from Ardyn. Mainly due to embarrassment but she was mentally unprepared for that kind of intimacy. Her usual clear and pure mind was overrunning with impure thoughts.

_"Oh my godd! He's so close!" _Ruby mentally screamed as she observed her old friend. Now that they were close Ruby felt small in front of the smaller boy. His eyes reminded her of the chesure cat from those old fairy tails. It made her feel like he was about to attack her... or perhaps.. Ravish her?

Quickly sanpping out of it, Ruby shook her head clear of these thoughts and let herself take a step back.

"Me? Haha! Why I'm here for the fighting festival!" shouted Ardyn as he took his hat off and leaned towards the edge and laughed out loud. He had a shit eating grin plastered across his face to go along with it.

Ruby couldn't believe it. For the entirety of hers and Ardyn's relationship she had never known him to wield a weapon let alone fight! His dream was to bring peace! How could he do that if he was fighting?!

_"Ardyn in a fight?! No way! He couldn't do something like that!" _Ruby quickly thought as she continued to stare at the still laughing man. Sje couldn't fathom it but then it cane to her! A distant memory.

**_(Flashback)_**

_"So what kind of weappns do you like Ardyn?"_ _a small Ruby asked as she rocked on her swing whilst a younger Ardyn sat near by reading a book about grimm._

_"Weapon? Hmmm, Me and my younger brother were given swords... for our birthday?"_ _said Ardyn as he leaned back against the tree and thought about it deeply._

_"It's this really big sword, it's drenched red too! Or I think it is..." said Ardyn as he continued to remember._

**_(Flashback End) _**

"Ms.Rose? Are you alright? You've been occupied since our meeting began." asked Ardyn as he used her semblance once again, swirling around Ruby and sitting next to her against the wall.

"Tell me, how does the great peace maker resolve arguments?" Ruby said as she continued to stare ahead at the blank wall. She saw no hope in her team. Weiss and Yang couldn't stand her as she found out and she didn't even really know Blake.

"Peekaboo-" Ardyn said before he was cut off by Ruby glonking Ardyn over the head.

"Please answer me... I'm.. I'm all alone here.." said Ruby as she slumped down back against the wall and hugged her kness to her chest. Without her team or her dear old uncle she felt lost and now her only friend was being an idiot.

"Haha, forgive me Little Petal. Allow me to answer you question with a question." said Ardyn as he squatted down in front of Ruby and placed his hat on her. Even as she looked up with her teary eyes and quicering lips Ardyn continued to smile.

"Do you remember what I said to you as children?" asked Ardyn as he took off his scarf and wrapped it around Ruby. He wasn't clumsy or akward, in fact, he did as if he'd done it so many times before. Perhaps he'd already started his mission for peace.

Shaking her head Ruby was surprised when Ardyn took his hat back.

"Silly Petal! It's is your creed as a human! LAUGH HARD!! RUN FAST!!! AND BE KIND!!!!" Ardyn shouted as he stood atop the ledge once again. The young man was quite the drama queen, at least to Ruby anyways.

"Hehehe- Hahahaha! You look like such a dork!" shouted Ruby as she laughed at Ardyn's silly form.

"Whale's penis I may be, but I'm afraid I must go. Your elder sister coming to kill me." said Ardyn as he bowed to Ruby. He didn't take his scarf back but he did take his hat back, it was his greatest possession afterall.

"Wh-wha? Whale's penis? YANG?!" asked Ruby, flabbergasted at Ardyn's words. Where did whale's penis come from? And Yang was here? Last time she saw Ardyn and Yang together Ardyn's face become so swollen he looked like a plum.

As he finished his little good-bye, shotgun shells could be heard in the distance, shooting off like a machine gun. Ruby knew what it was of course but Ardyn didn't, at least not specifically. Ardyn knew Yang was here due to seeing a lion in the crowd when he was yelling.

Dawning his hat once again Ardyn perked up and turned around only to collide with Yang's gauntlets as she slammed them against his face.

Not being the most eligant fighter Yang followed up with a headbutt, sending Ardyn to the ground before he proped right back up via Ruby's semblance.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" shouted Yang as she pointed at Ardyn accusingly. She hated Ardyn! Not for his stupid dreams but becuase of what he did to her and Ruby.

"I'm here for the fighting festival!" shouted Ardyn as he laughed joyful before summoning his sword. Unlike most students Ardyn didn't get a locker to drop his weapon off, instead he could summon it with the help of his semblance.

Not wasting anymore time talking Yang cocked her fist back and launched herself forward at Ardyn letting out a warcry. Rasing the tip of his sword Ardyn was going to counter before he saw the beastial look on Yang's face.

_"On second thought maybe it'd be best for me to run away today!"_ Ardyn thought as he rolled off of Yang's side and leaped off the side of the building. Thinking quickly Ardyn held his hat in place before disappearing into the night via Ruby's semblance.

_"If I can keep it up, I may be able to see the Amazon as well!" _was Ardyn's last thought before he ran into a mop of blonde hair.

_THUNK!_

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**So alot of people have asked me about my schedule for uploading chapters and I dont have a fixed thing as of yet. I'm just pumping them out as soon as they're finished. If you giys want like a weekly thing just let me know. I'll make it happen but the chapters won't be any longer than they are now.**

**Another Weird note, Does anyone have any advice on like transitioning somewhere in the story. Like a place or time per se?**


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